


Glass

by jaztice



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Allura is sad and Shiro is team dad, Angst, Drabble, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, me dropping annoying symbolic references bc i'm trash, set after episode 9, that one, these idiots are in love and i hate them, u know the episode with illegal amounts of angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-28
Updated: 2016-06-28
Packaged: 2018-07-18 19:44:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7327975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jaztice/pseuds/jaztice
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Allura isn't at dinner, Shiro knows something is wrong. He finds her in the computer room, staring at the hub that had held her father's memories, and understands.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Glass

**Author's Note:**

> still deep in Shallura hell just in case anyone forgot  
> please enjoy

Normally, Shiro didn’t worry about Allura. She could take care of herself, and if she was having a hard time, she’d go to someone for help. Not necessarily him, of course, but she’d go to someone. Most likely Coran or Hunk.

But Allura didn’t skip meals. She knew the importance of keeping her strength up, especially in the ongoing fight against the Galra. Which was why Shiro was so concerned when she didn’t show up for dinner.

“Where’s Allura?” Lance asked, already stuffing his face with Hunk’s gourmet greet goo. “Is she sleeping or something?”

“She said she had something to do,” Coran supplied, taking a bite of dinner. “Not sure what. But I’m sure she’ll be back soon.”

Everyone nodded and left it at that, but something kept eating at Shiro. Allura didn’t just come to dinner for the food; eating dinner with the team was a big part of becoming a single, cohesive unit. It was family bonding time. And family bonding time was a huge deal for Allura, what with most of hers being… well, gone.

He wondered if that was the problem.

“I’m uh, I’m going to go hit the hay early,” Shiro said, standing up. He took his empty plate and spork and dumped them in the sink. “That fight took a lot out of me.”

“Alright, night Shiro!” Keith said. Everyone else repeated the gesture and went back to their conversations, oblivious. He wondered if they were even worried about where Allura was, or if they just figured she was an eternally strong, badass warrior princess that never needed anyone’s help.

Shiro had experience with that. Being everyone’s rock was a lot harder when you were made of glass.

* * *

He eventually found her in the old computer mainframe room, sitting curled up against the wall and staring at the memory hub, her expression empty and sad. She didn’t even notice him approach.

Shiro softly knocked on the side of the door, smiling as Allura’s face turned away from the hub and towards him.

“Oh, hello Shiro,” she said, giving him a small smile before looking away. “I’m sorry I wasn’t at dinner.”

“It’s alright,” he said. Seeing her so sad made something in him ache. “I understand when someone needs some alone time. Just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

Allura nodded, still staring at her toes, and Shiro figured that was his cue to leave. But something in her face stopped him. It was almost like she wanted to ask him something.

Her mouth opened slightly, and then she closed it again. Shiro understood.

“Do you want me to sit with you?” he asked gently.

She shrugged. “Only if you want to.” But her eyes and the tone of her voice said, _yes, thank you for not making me have to ask_. It was the same way Shiro felt when he was alone in the dark, wishing for both company and solitude. No one ever stumbled across him like that, in those moments of weakness. No one had ever bothered to ask.

He walked into the room and sat next to Allura, leaning his back against the wall and staring at the memory hub that once held King Alfor. It didn’t take a genius to know what Allura was thinking about. But Shiro said nothing, just sat there in silence, knowing that if Allura wanted to talk, she’d be the one to speak first. Not him.

After a few minutes, Allura sighed. Her shoulders drooped.

“Everyone I knew is gone, Shiro.”

She was staring at her knees, her eyes so sad and full of tears it made Shiro’s heart break. Of course she was upset. Her family, her planet, her entire way of life had been destroyed by a power they had little hope of defeating. All the work her father had done had been overrun by the Galra in ten thousand years. She was the last link to his ongoing fight, to Voltron, and now he wasn’t even around to help her through. Aside from Coran, Allura was the only Altean left. And she was alone.

A tear slipped out of her eye and slid down her cheek, dropping onto the floor, and Shiro took a chance and slipped his hand into Allura’s palm.

“I thought…” Her voice was shaking, but Shiro pretended to ignore it. “I always thought… that my father would be here, helping me. But now he’s gone. And… I never imagined that…” Her voice broke and tears began streaming down her face, choking back a sob. “H-he’d… And now I’m, I’m… I’m so alone, Shiro, I don’t know what to do, I–”

Shiro pulled her into a hug without thinking, pressing her against his chest and just holding her, knowing exactly what she needed. Allura sobbed and pressed her face into his shoulder, burying her tears under her hair, hiding her face. She was trembling. He rubbed her back and let her cry, one hand pressed against the back of her head, the other around her waist.

“You’re not alone, Allura,” he whispered. Her sobs quieted, and Shiro felt his heart flutter. “You’re not alone, I promise you. We’re never going to leave you. You’ll always have a family.”

She sniffed and pulled back, staring at Shiro with wet, terrified eyes. “What if I leave you?” she asked.

He smiled warmly. “Then we’ll find you.”

She blinked, a few tears falling down her face, and her mouth slowly spread into a smile. Allura hugged Shiro again, sighing into him.

“Thank you,” she whispered, her fingers tracing the back of his shoulder blades.

He smiled kissed the top of her head, leaning back against the wall with his arms around the princess. Allura pulled away slightly so she could shift, leaning against him with her arms curled around his chest, and she sighed again.

She fell asleep within a few ticks. Shiro looked down at her and smiled, wishing for all the world he could take away her sadness and let her be happy forever. Allura deserved that, at least. Allura deserved the world.

“I love you,” he whispered, knowing no one would hear. “I love you more than anything in the universe.”

When Shiro fell asleep a few minutes later, he didn’t see Allura smile, her eyes still closed and her head still resting against his chest.

He didn’t hear her say, “I love you too.”


End file.
